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built originally on the Norman outlines. In the early 14th century the whole was 
probably restored in a complete and solid fashion. 
So far as he goes, the veteran historian of the civil wars (the late Rev. John 
Webb, of Hardwick, and his son, Thomas William Webb) contributed no small 
help to the veritable data of Wigmore’s early tradition. It is well known that, in 
some way or other, one volume of Blount’s (of Orleton) MS History of Hereford- 
shire (that which begins with the letter L) has alone survived. The first volume, 
according to the testimony of Blount’s grandson, was lent to a Herefordshire 
gentleman, and should be retrievable, but is not. However, the elder Mr. Webb 
had the good fortune, in the course of his long life, to get access to a transcript of 
this first volume, in, apparently, a child’s handwriting, and full of imaccuracy in 
names and dates, but still of use and interest in default of better authority. In 
this, through the kindness of the Rev. T. W. Webb, of Hardwick, I have been 
allowed a careful research ; and naturally looked to see what Blount, a scholar of 
profounder research than any of his contemporaries in North Herefordshire, had 
to say about Wigmore and its lords. His words, under the head—‘t Wigmore 
Town and Castle,” are as follows, and may be interesting :— 
‘“This town is of great antiquity, for we find it was repaired in the time of 
‘* Edward the Elder, before the Conquest, by the name of ‘ Wiggen yn mere,’ and 
‘*was then reputed a city, and after fortified with a strong castle by William, Earl 
‘of Hereford. The name seems to be Saxon, in which language ‘ Wiggen,’ or 
““*Wiggend,’ seems to signify warrior—‘ga’ or ‘to go’ and ‘Mere’ a pool or 
‘“‘oreat water; for it is supposed that rich ground below the town now called 
‘* Wigmore was held heretofore to be undrainable. It is held one of the ancientist 
‘*honours in England, and has twenty-one townships or manors that owe suit to 
“the Honour Court, and all the land wherein these manors lie is called Wigmere 
*‘TLand, which has two high constables, and gives name to the whole Hundred. 
““The Abbey was founded by Hugh Mortimer, in the time of King Stephen, and 
‘had very great possessions granted to it from time to time by that noble family. 
‘“These Mortimers had great privileges, and even some regalia, granted by our 
‘Kings to the Honour of Wigmore, as well of life and death as of other im- 
“* munities.” 
The ruins of Wigmore Castle are extensive, and well represented in Mr. 
Robinson’s bird’s-eye view. The keep is in ordinary Norman style, massive and 
square, with slightly projecting buttresses at each corner. The entrance gateway 
is on the south of the castle, and the most perfect part of the castle yet extant. 
In the right tower, access was gained by a newel staircase to the porter’s room, 
from which the portcullis was worked, as, if I recollect right, at Wilton and Good- 
rich. The rugged precipitous nature of the ground to west and north was in itself 
a protection, but the process of dismantling, which the fortress suffered in 1643, 
has destroyed most of its ancient features. According to a letter of Lady B. 
Harley, there was talk of sending soldiers into Wigmore in that year, but as 
Colonel Massey could not spare men or ammunition, it was thought most prudent 
to dismantle it. Certain it is that a bafHled attempt was made, after the siege, to 
plant a garrison at Wigmore, slighted in a military sense by Robert Harley at the 
